Effect of foil orientation on damage accumulation during irradiation in magnesium and annealing response of dislocation loops

► Effect of foil orientation on electron irradiation damage in Mg is analyzed. ► Prism plane defects increases in prism foils as compared to basal foils. ► Basal faults were interstitial and prism plane defects were mixed in character. ► Shrinkage of interstitial dislocations takes place by the self diffusion mechanism.